President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has instructed the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to eradicate online scams, particularly during the Christmas season, in addition to fighting fake news.

“Ang direktiba po ng Presidente sa amin malapit nang mag-Pasko sabi niya, ‘Puwede ba pagdating ng Pasko mawala na iyong mga online financial scams,” DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday.

“Ang aspiration po natin ngayon ay kapag nag-transaction kayo online itong Pasko kung saan mataas ngayon ang paggamit ng credit card at saka online payment ay kampante po tayo.”

In response to the President’s directive, Aguda said that the DICT has cooperated with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Globe Telecom and other telecommunications companies signing up for the initiative.

In terms of combating fake news, Aguda said that telcos and social media platforms held a meeting on September 19 aimed at achieving content moderation.

Content moderation is now being studied to gain a deeper understanding of the Philippine setting, according to the DICT chief.

“Kasi overseas iyong mga content moderation nila, eh iyong konteksto po ba na kontekstong Pilipino hindi nila masyadong nakukuha kapag nasa ibang bansa sila,” Aguda said. “So, dito po at saka makikipag-ugnayan sila nang mabuti sa atin.”

Aguda said the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center will be the lead agency in fighting fake news, as he underscored the need to address deepfakes that have been victimizing people.

The effort will involve inter-agency cooperation with other agencies, including the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Presidential News Desk